Scars
by Stixer111
Summary: Sometimes when the weather gets cold, Zoro's scars start to hurt.
1. Chapter 1

Zoro is covered in scars. It should be expected really, if you're trying to become the world's greatest swordsman, you're going to pick up a few scars. He wasn't ashamed of them, in fact, his scars are a point of pride. Sometimes though, they could be a pain. Literally.

When he woke up late one night with his entire body aching and stiff, he had to suppress a groan. They must be approaching a winter island. The cold weather always made his scars twinge. It wouldn't have been so bad if he'd only had one or two, but with his entire body crisscrossed with scar tissue, he was tempted to just wrap a blanket around himself and stay in bed for the day. He'd never do it, there were too many people relying on him, but the thought was tempting. He sighed, and then stiffened as he felt a pair of arms wrap around him.

"What are you sighing about shitty swordsman?" grumbled the cook, his voice rough and thick with sleep. Oh, that's right, Zoro had forgotten that Sanji was spending the night in his room today. He still wasn't entirely used to having a boyfriend, and his presence took him by surprise sometimes. He'd feel guilty if he wasn't certain that the same held true for the cook.

"Nothing, go back to sleep idiot cook." Admitting the pain would be admitting weakness, and he refused to look weak in front of any of his nakama.

Zoro felt the weight shift behind him and turned to find Sanji up on his elbows looking at him with thinly veiled concern.

"It's not like you to sit around sighing like a love sick girl, marimo. What's wrong?"

The swordsman said nothing. Sanji looked at him speculatively.

"Are you hurt? Do I need to call Chopper?"

"No."

"Then what's wrong?"

"I said nothing damn it!" growled Zoro.

Sanji sighed and said "You can't hide it from me Zoro, something's bothering you."

Zoro sat up in bed and then winced. Sanji looked triumphant.

"So you _are_ hurt."

Zoro sighed, there was no getting out of this conversation. "When the weather gets colder, like when we're near winter islands, my scars flare up. It's annoying, but it's nothing I can't deal with. So can you just drop it?"

The blond watched him intently, and then, much to the swordsman's confusion climbed out of bed and dug around in his cupboards.

"Oi, what are you doing?"

Sanji ignored him, continuing to search, before making a sound of triumph, and turning around with something clutched in his hand. On closer inspection, Zoro could see it was a small jar of oil, the same kind he used after training to get the ache out of his muscles. Sanji walked to where his suit jacket was hanging from a hook on the wall, and fished out his lighter. He flicked it on and held the flame to the bottom of the jar for a little while. Then he walked back over to Zoro, and sat on the bed next to him.

"Take off your shirt."

"What!?"

"Take. Off. Your. Shirt. I don't think there are smaller words I can use."

"Why?"

"Take it off, or I'll do it for you."

Zoro was tempted to argue, just to be difficult, but there was a gleam in his boyfriend's eye that meant resistance would probably be futile. He took off his shirt.

"Good, now lie down"

Zoro just stared, trying to figure out where this was going. Sanji rolled his eyes, before placing his hand on his scarred chest and pushing him down. He quickly straddled the prone swordsman, and opened the jar dipping his fingers into the warm oil and applying it tenderly over each scar, starting with the giant slash that marred his chest. Mihawk's parting gift. He pressed his fingers into the muscled flesh, gently massaging the area, and startling a small gasp from Zoro. Sanji smirked.

Zoro closed his eyes as he felt the careful ministrations of the other man. The combination of the warm oil and the feel of fingertips kneading into his chest, his arms, even his hips, made his tense muscles relax as the pain slowly ebbed away. He felt rough lips press against his collar bone and shuddered. He could feel the lips curve into a smirk before Sanji sucked, hard enough to make him moan, but not enough to mark him. He made an embarrassing keening noise as the lips left him, and his pant legs were rolled up. Special attention was paid to the identical scars on his calves.

He had gotten hell from all of his crew mates after the whole "I'm going to chop off my legs" incident, but Sanji seemed to take it personally. Back then he'd just chalked it up to the cook being his usual idiotic self, but he knew better now. Sanji went at those scars with a vengeance, applying the oil liberally, and rubbing the skin around them until Zoro squirmed. Then he pulled himself up until he was face to face with the swordsman, and captured his lips, soft and sweet, before lying down next to him.

"Aren't you going to get my back?" Zoro turned a little and asked, his voice cracking slightly.

Sanji grinned and turned to face him "Scars on the back are a swordsman's shame." he quoted, and Zoro huffed.

"Feeling better?"

"Yeah."

"You should have said something earlier."

Zoro averted his eyes and mumbled something incomprehensible.

"Sorry what was that?"

"M' not weak."

He was not expecting the cook to roll his eyes and say "Well no shit."

"Huh?"

Sanji gave him an appraising look before widening his eyes slightly "Holy shit, you really think that we'd think you're weak for having a little pain, don't you?"

Zoro ducked his head. Unfortunately this left the back of his head vulnerable to Sanji's palm as he dealt it a solid smack.

"Ow! What was that for?"

"You moss headed moron, you aren't weak because you feel pain! You are unbelievable! What were you planning to do as we got closer to island, just ignore it?"

The swordsman was silent.

"You were, weren't you? Idiot." Sanji sighed "We care about you marimo, _I_ care about you. None of us is going to think you're weak because your scars keep you up at night, hell I'd be surprised if they _didn't_. We've all got scars, but yours are the worst." He traced the slash mark on his chest. "Quit trying to hide these things from us."

Zoro felt his eyes prickle, but he wasn't going to cry, not now. He decided to ignore it in favor of ribbing his boyfriend.

"Aww, love cook, you almost sound concerned."

Sanji huffed at him, but pulled him closer. "Go to sleep dumbass"

Zoro grinned, but closed his eyes obediently. Even though they were moving steadily closer to the winter island, and even though he hadn't bothered to pull his shirt back on, he'd never felt warmer than he did just then, with Sanji flush against his chest, their legs tangled together, and his cooks arms wrapped possessively around him. He smiled as he drifted off to sleep. His scars didn't hurt so much anymore.

_**A/N- Okay so I have this headcanon that since scar tissue is sometimes effected by extreme weather, Zoro can tell when they're approaching a winter island because his scars start to hurt. It sort of spiraled. Reviews are appreciated.**_


	2. Omake

**Omake**

The sun was just rising when Sanji made his way to the deck the next morning. Nami had kept watch the night before and was leaning against the railing, wrapped in a thin blanket and looking out onto the blue horizon. She turned when she heard his footsteps on the wooden deck.

"Good morning Sanji"

"Good morning Nami-swan. Would you like some coffee?"

"That would be wonderful."

Dating or not, Sanji still pampers his ladies. Old habits die hard. It leaves Zoro torn between amusement and irritation. He's toned down his affection a little, no longer doing what his swordsman has dubbed "his best noodle impression" whenever they speak to him, but if the rest of the crew noticed, they haven't said anything. He makes his way to the galley to prepare the navigator's drink. When he goes back to the deck, tray balanced on one arm with a cup of coffee and a few slices of buttered bread arranged artistically on it, he finds her in the midst of an argument with Zoro.

"There's no way! I'd have noticed if that were the case!"

"I'm telling you, we're approaching a winter island."

"Would you be willing to bet on that?"

Zoro narrowed his eyes "What kind of bet?"

Nami thought for a moment "If you win, I'll decrease your debt by ten percent. If I win, I increase your debt by twenty percent."

"Deal."

They were dangerously close now, and Nami looked about ready to cloud the swordsman on the head. Sanji decided to intervene, since he preferred his boyfriend sans concussion.

"Che, marimo, I leave for ten minutes and you already start a fight with Nami-swan? Go train or something."

Zoro rolled his eyes and stalked off to the crow's nest, Nami drank her coffee in relative silence, and the argument was forgotten.

That afternoon, Sanji was on the deck enjoying the cool ocean breeze and Zoro was lying propped against the nearest wall, taking a nap. The swordsman felt a dark shadow fall over his face, and lazily opened one eye. Towering over him with a truly irritated look on her face, was Nami.

"Your debt is cut by ten percent." she grit out, looking mutinous.

Zoro raised an eyebrow. He could see Sanji smirk out of the corner of his eye and grinned a little, and turned his head towards him. The cook winked.

Nami cleared her throat.

"You wanna take a guess on how far away it is? Double or nothing?"

"Not on your life!"

_**A/N- So the Nami-Zoro bet had been floating around in my head almost before I wrote the fic, and then someone commented something about Zoro realizing about the island before even Nami, and this happened. It's short, but I hope you like!**_


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